Randoom Year End Babbling

 So 2013 went by in half of a blink of an eye. Each year seems to go faster and faster. I'm not sure if it's my advancing age or the breakneck speed of technology that has hit the fast-forward button on time, but I'd like it to slow down long enough to accurately get a picture of what's happenned.

 The first half must have happenned while I was asleep, because before I knew it August was upon us and I had yet to enroll in school. I had kept telling myself that it was my self-imposed limitations blocking my path to a degree. Like the procrastinator I am, I waited until the last minute to enroll.

 School seemed the best thing for me, because soon after I got started, everything seemed to work itself out. I got a place of my own and started excersizing my artistic muscles in ways I had not previously thought possible.

 There were some struggles through that first freshman semester, but it was all worth the wear and tear on the 'ol soul. Here are some lessons that I might have learned this time around that may help other freshmen.

1. As much as school needs to be focused upon, there also has to be balance with the social life and home life as well. Take stock every few days to see if there's an area of neglect.

2. Let the heart feel what it wants to feel, but stay in control. Many whims, wishes, and fantasies can envigorate the spirit, but chasing after fleeting feelings can set one up for dissapointment at worst, and devastating distractions at most.

3. Comparing work with peers is alright to do in classes like Composition and Math, but when doing it in the arts, take the expertise of more experienced students as a goal rather than judging their work as superior to your own.

4. Make time.  Too many times have I said to myself "I'll procrastinate tomorrow", then did it anyway. Leave procrastination alone and plan, write, and schedule your way to success.

5. Turn down the hormones. A body cannot excersize well on an empty stomach. This is similar to the mind, but the food is love. If you can manage to get some sort of love away from academia, then when you are in front of whiteboards and textbooks, you won't be too distracted when that curvy female gets up to throw her gum wrappers in the trashcan.

6. Have fun. Part of learning is figuring out what you can do to entertain yourself with progression. In this age of too many attention grabbers, the main source of enjoyment for people needs to come from within. That's where real passion lies.

7. Show appreciation. Gratefulness is rarely looked down upon, and if given sincerely to those helping you on your journey, it will be reciprocated in kindness, respect, and sometimes that furry sensation that happens in the cockles of the heart.

8. Imagine. There's no textbook for you. You have to imagine everything. The light we tell ourselves that we see is filtered through our brain before we let ourselves believe we see it. Use goals and success the same way. See it before you believe it.

 I'm getting a litte too esoteric, so I'll stop there. I am not the best student, but I did get a decent gpa my first semester and am looking forward to earning my degree.

 I hope this season is great for you all. Enjoy every lengthened day.